DEMA 2017: anything new for advanced divers ?

[Roger Hobden]

DEMA 2017 is starting today. Is there anything new that advanced divers should know about ?

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I saw these posted yesterday ... I'm still trying to figure out if they're for diving or snow shoeing ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[tridacna]

I walked past those and nearly burst into laughter. They had an enormous booth with lots of other useless stuff. I carried on walking.

My favorite "Most Useless Device" at DEMA was the seawater powered dive light. Freaking enormous with a crappy light output. They claimed 800 lumens. Looked more like 100 when placed in their 10 gal fish tank. Great concept. Dunk it in the ocean and it turns on. Beside the lousy output and size, the device life is 2000 hours then you have to replace the gigantic metal rods within. Unfortunately I made the mistake of feigning interest and had to stand through a 20 min demo and explanation.I'm not saying that this has no future, just not now.

Ditto for Thalatoo. The French HUD dive computer. Talk about not being ready for a show. Interesting concept but the demo model looked as if it had been baked up in a garage immediately prior to DEMA. They were close to the Shearwater booth and after playing with a NERD, it was a bad time to stumble upon Thalatoo. The NERD is a "if money was no issue to me,I have to have one" kinda device.

 

[scubadada]

At least there is new stuff, maybe we'll end up with some good equipment out of it. The Garmin discussion is interesting, for instance.

 

[mdb]

I walked past those and nearly burst into laughter. They had an enormous booth with lots of other useless stuff. I carried on walking.

My favorite "Most Useless Device" at DEMA was the seawater powered dive light. Freaking enormous with a crappy light output. They claimed 800 lumens. Looked more like 100 when placed in their 10 gal fish tank. Great concept. Dunk it in the ocean and it turns on. Beside the lousy output and size, the device life is 2000 hours then you have to replace the gigantic metal rods within. Unfortunately I made the mistake of feigning interest and had to stand through a 20 min demo and explanation.I'm not saying that this has no future, just not now.

Ditto for Thalatoo. The French HUD dive computer. Talk about not being ready for a show. Interesting concept but the demo model looked as if it had been baked up in a garage immediately prior to DEMA. They were close to the Shearwater booth and after playing with a NERD, it was a bad time to stumble upon Thalatoo. The NERD is a "if money was no issue to me,I have to have one" kinda device.

Tridacna, you are doing a nice job of keeping us posted on this latest DEMA show.

The fact that there are a number of new first time exhibitors seems a good sign.

How is the crowd overall?

 

[tridacna]

Crowds have been good. Cressi & Mares booths look as if they unpacked last years booths and set them up again. Wait. Cressi has two new masks. Woo. Ditto for SP and AL.

There were a lot of small new companies. Interesting innovations in snorkels. Lots of Chinese companies with new regs and other equipment. Except now the stuff looks good. I think that they wil completely disrupt existing model.

Hard to believe that Cochran have not changed a single thing in a decade. Like their computers, they just tick along with their least sexy but most reliable device.

DPVs have become tiny. I saw at least three models about 1/4 the size of existing models. Using jet-like thrusters! No props. Not ready for cave but definitely for fun. Did not recognize one of those companies but nice products. Would love to take to the local quarry.

More later...

 

[diversteve]

Any sighti\ngs of a Cobalt wrist computer in the Atomic Aquatics booth or is it still vaporware?

 

[tridacna]

Any sighti\ngs of a Cobalt wrist computer in the Atomic Aquatics booth or is it still vaporware?

I was A S S U R E D by our Huish rep that one would be ready for DEMA. Tomorrow is the last day and I'm not holding my breath.Maybe I missed it...?

The most impressive thing there was a BC1 that they claimed had been used as a rental BC in over 1000 dives. If that claim was true, I was impressed because the BC looked about as new as the one on the wall display. OTOH, I tried it on and felt like I was climbing into a astronaut's suit.

 

[Dive Cochran]

Crowds have been good. Cressi & Mares booths look as if they unpacked last years booths and set them up again. Wait. Cressi has two new masks. Woo. Ditto for SP and AL.

There were a lot of small new companies. Interesting innovations in snorkels. Lots of Chinese companies with new regs and other equipment. Except now the stuff looks good. I think that they wil completely disrupt existing model.

Hard to believe that Cochran have not changed a single thing in a decade. Like their computers, they just tick along with their least sexy but most reliable device.

DPVs have become tiny. I saw at least three models about 1/4 the size of existing models. Using jet-like thrusters! No props. Not ready for cave but definitely for fun. Did not recognize one of those companies but nice products. Would love to take to the local quarry.

More later...

Really, did you even take the time to stop by our booth and ask what's new with the EMC-16 or EMC-20H, I doubt it. I'm truly amazed by your comments.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Really, did you even take the time to stop by our booth and ask what's new with the EMC-16 or EMC-20H, I doubt it. I'm truly amazed by your comments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't be amazed - the standard for the dive community
If I had attended DEMA this year your booth would have been high on my list to visit .

I recall 10 or so more years ago my son Dr. Sam IV was in a Hyperbaric fellowship at Scripps and was a DEMA to receive his SSI Pro 5000 and we stopped by your booth for a chat about your products..

And what a chat it was !

I suddenly realized that I had raised an educated son who was extremely knowledgeable on dive computers and decompression theory. After the introductions you and Sam IV begin your discussions I was, after all the good and great years of diving experience, was having a peek into the present and future of diving by two very knowledgeable individuals.

I was Impressed!

I suspect if @tridacna had visited your booth he would have been welcomed and had a similar but water down layman's memorable conversation we had 10 years previous.

Cheers from California where it all began

(Dr,) Sam Miller, 111
LA Co UW Instructor
NAUI Instructor 3 A-27
PADI instructor
etc the rest of the current instructor alphabet

PS = Dave, Sam IV became a board certified ER & Hyperbaric Doctor, became Chief of the department and is now the Director of ER & Hyperbarics an his way to Chief of staff- The march of time ;;;sdm